Mike Lindell said he will request and personally fund a recount after losing the Minnesota governor’s race by about 11 percentage points. Minnesota law requires candidates outside the automatic-recount threshold to pay for a recount; officials estimated an initial cost near $825,000, and Lindell warned it could exceed $1 million once investigators and observers are added. Lindell’s history of alleging voting-machine fraud has led to multiple defamation suits and financial judgments against him, and his campaign has not confirmed whether he can cover the expected expense.
Mike Lindell Vows to Fund Minnesota Recount, Says Costs Could Top $1 Million
Photo Illustration by Victoria Sunday/The Daily Beast/Getty Images
Mike Lindell, the former MyPillow CEO and prominent 2020 election denier, announced he will request a recount in Minnesota’s gubernatorial race and says he will personally cover the costs. Lindell lost the race by roughly 11 percentage points—more than 45,000 votes—according to The Associated Press.
Recount Rules and Estimated Costs
Under Minnesota law, an automatic recount is triggered when the margin of victory is under 0.25 percent. Candidates outside that threshold may still request a recount but must pay for it themselves. Lindell told NBC News that the secretary of state's general counsel provided an initial estimate of about $825,000 and that the total could be "upwards of $1 million" once investigators, designated observers and other expenses are included.
Lindell lost by double digits, yet intends on requesting a recount. / Jonathan Drake / REUTERS
Next Steps
The secretary of state's office told NBC it had not yet received a formal recount petition. Officials said a petition must be accompanied by "a bond, cash or surety" by the deadline specified in a letter sent to Lindell. Lindell said he plans to "personally go in there myself" and will send observers to recount sites.
Legal and Financial Background
Lindell has a recent history of high-profile legal battles related to his claims about voting machines. He has not satisfied a $56,369 judgment owed to Smartmatic and faces an ongoing $500-per-day fine that has continued to accumulate. Last month, Dominion Voting Systems—after suing Lindell for $1.3 billion—reached a reported confidential settlement with him. In June 2025, a jury returned a $2.3 million judgment against Lindell for defaming Eric Coomer, a former Dominion director; Lindell said at the time he was several million dollars in debt.
Lindell caused himself many legal problems by claiming the 2020 election was fraudulent. / TOM BRENNER / REUTERS
Public Statements
Lindell has repeatedly alleged irregularities in elections dating back to 2020 and has made controversial claims—once saying "Satan" was involved in the 2020 election. After the recent result, he issued a statement alleging "irregularities" in election data and framed a potential recount as a step toward phasing out electronic voting machines:
"Even if this recount and audit does not overturn my election for governor of Minnesota, I believe this is the gateway to getting rid of these electronic voting machines."
Campaign and Political Backing
Lindell stepped down as CEO of MyPillow to run for governor in a campaign backed by former President Donald Trump. Trump praised Lindell at a Bedminster gala and posted that Lindell "deserved" to win, calling him a tireless advocate for "free and fair elections." Lindell's campaign did not immediately respond to a Daily Beast request for comment on his ability to finance a recount.
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